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The sedimentary successions and four fossil groups, including rugose corals, brachiopods, fusulinaceans and conodonts, from the Carboniferous and Lower Permian of South China have been studied in order to reveal the sedimentary characteristics and evolutionary pattern of main biological groups in the East Tethyan region during the Late Palaeozoic Ice Age. The Lower Carboniferous lithology of South China is diverse, ranging from basinal and shelf carbonate rocks to coal measures and continental clastics, while the Upper Carboniferous and Lower Permian are composed mostly of shallow-marine carbonates. From uppermost Devonian to Lower Carboniferous, five major regression events are recognized at the topmost Devonian, middle and upper Tournaisian boundary, Tournasian–Viséan boundary, uppermost Viséan and the Mid-Carboniferous boundary in South China, separately. The Upper Carboniferous and Lower Permian shallow-water carbonate rocks consist of remarkable, high-frequency cyclothems. Moreover, another major sea-level fall is recognized and characterized by an extensive sedimentary hiatus at the Sakmarian–Artinskian boundary throughout South China. All of the sedimentary basins of South China were formed in extensional tectonic settings during this time; thus, multiple regressive events that occurred throughout South China should be primarily induced by glacio-eustatic drawdown. In addition, two biotic events characterized by a remarkable decline in the diversity of benthic biota and a turnover in the composition of fossil assemblages occurred, respectively, at the Mid-Carboniferous and Sakmarian–Artinskian boundaries, consistent with two major regressions, and were probably caused by the glaciations in Gondwana.

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In traditional Chinese Carboniferous zonal schemes, Serpukhovian foraminiferal zones were broadly defined by genera, long-ranging species or local species, making it difficult to correlate to equivalent foraminiferal zones worldwide. The Serpukhovian Hezhou Formation at the Fenghuangshan section on the Lower Yangtze Platform was deposited in an open to restricted shallow-water environment, in which foraminifers flourished. Four foraminiferal zones named for cosmopolitan species found in this formation are established. In ascending order, they are the Plectomillerella tortula Zone, Eostaffellina paraprotvae Zone, Bradyina cribrostomata Zone and Monotaxinoides transitorius Zone. These zones permit reasonable correlation of the regional Chinese Dewuan (Serpukhovian) Stage to regional Russian substages (Tarussian, Steshevian, Protvian and Zapaltjubian). Preliminary correlations are also proposed between the Dewuan Stage and western European regional Mississippian substages (late Brigantian, Pendleian and Arnsbergian) and Chesterian formations of the type Mississippian region in North America.

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